yama no sei, sansei 山精 spirit of the mountain The wife of 猟師善助 the hunter Zensuke went to the mountain forest to gather firewood. Somehow she lost conscience. When she returned to herself and went home, she found herself pregnant. Eventually she gave birth to 岩八 Iwahachi. The same happened again a few years later and this time she gave birth to 喜八 Kichachi. All this happened because the Spirit of the Mountain and 山鬼 the Demon of the Mountain had an adventure with her. Both Iwahachi and Kihachi had bright red hair.

Sansei Zatsumi Kijin 山精雑魅鬼神 （さんせいざつみきじん） A kind of 精霊悪鬼 bad Oni with more knowledge and power than a human being, alive in the muontains, trees and other natural phenomenon. 『法華験家訓蒙』に述べてあるところによると、明治の初年頃、鎌倉地方で鉄道建設の際、古墳の移転工事を行った人夫が、あるいは発狂し、あるいは死者の姓名を名乗って、その墳墓を発掘したことを怒り、奇異の挙動をなしたのを、世間の人が見て、墓の亡魂のたたりであると恐怖して、祠を作り亡魂を祭祀したことがあったという。 『訓蒙』には、これは亡魂のたたりでなく、山精雑魅の類のしわざであると説いている。 その根拠として「仏説灌頂経』第七に、凡夫の塚塔には善神の守護無く、常に山精雑魅鬼神が付着し、飯食を求め、変化をなして世人に恐怖を与えるのを、凡夫が神や魂のしわざとなすのは、邪をもって正とし魅をもって神となす誤りであると説いてあることを引用している。 source : honkouji.com/glossary...

Yama Kijin 山鬼神 Sankijin Mountain Demon Deity Once the pious mother got lost in the mountains. Eventually they heard that she had become the wife on the Mountain Demon Deity from 太平山 Mount Taiheizan. Her friends tried to bring her back, but could not find her. Later she came back, telling them she also went to 出羽三山 the Three Mountains of Dewa.

Once upon a time, the area around 岩手山 Mount Iwatesan belonged to an Oni named 大猛丸 Odakemaru. In the year 797, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was sent to drive him out, but he hid in the mist of the deep mountain and built his castle, 鬼ケ城 / 鬼ヶ城 Onigajo. Tamuramaro waited until the mist had dispersed, came to fight with him, drove him all the way to 八幡平 Hachimantai and finally killed him.

At the foot of Mount Zao there lived a sanki 山鬼 mountain Oni who grabbed humans and ate them. The Oni eventually turned to stone and the place is now called 鬼石原 Oniishihara Oniishihara Tōgatta onsen, Zaō-machi, Katta-gun, Miyagi

The demon of 岩倉山の鬼 Mount Iwakurayama At the hall 甲冑堂 in the village 東二町 Higashinicho there lived an Oni at Mount Iwakurayama who grbabed travellers, ground them in a mortar and ate them. This mortar has become a stone, named onisurusuishi 鬼臼石 / オニスルスイシ Oni Surusu Ishi

Uyamuya no Seki 有耶無耶関 / 有耶無耶の関 The Inamu Barrier now at the 笹谷峠 Sasaya Pass on the border to 山形 Yamagata and the Natori district.

Once upon a time a demon haunted this pass and caused harm to travellers. A raichoo 霊鳥 snow grouse would warn people, calling out 有耶 UYA (he is here). If the Demon was away, it would call out MUYA 無耶 (he is not here). The 若松観音 Wakamatsu Kannon at the side of Yamagata is called the 有耶の観音 Uya no Kannon. The 笹谷観音 Sasaya Kannon at the side of Miyagi is called 無耶の観音 Muya no Kannon. The snow grouse is said to be an incarnation of Kannon Bosatsu.

The demons of 一夜山 Ichiyasan "Mountain of one night" at the time of 天武天皇 Tenmu Tenno (c. 631-686) heard a rumor that their living place would become a new settlement. To prevent this, they began to plot. In one night (ichiya 一夜), to stop the road, they made a new mountain between the mountains 戸隠山Togakushiyama and 戸倉山 Tokurasan. This new mountain is now 1,561 m high.

A lot of salmon fish came up the river, but the local mountain demons caught them all with their bare hands and ate them. The villagers who head the demons at night became ill, spit blood and soon died.

Odakemaru is another name forAterui アテルイ / 悪路王 Akuro-O / Acro-O 阿弖流爲 (? - 802) He was the leader of the Emishi in Iwate. He was venerated as Kijin 鬼神大猛丸 the Demon God Odakemaru.

Mount 岩手山 Iwatesan is also called 岩手富士 the Fuji of Iwate. Once there lived a very strong Oni named Odakemaru, who put his hand on a rock to make an impression (iwate 岩手 "rock hand"). On the Southern side of Mount Iwatesan there are still the remains of the palace of this Oni, in the form of ridge 屏風岩 "cliff like a folding screen" named Onigajo 鬼ヶ城 "Castle of the Oni".

Once upon a time, the area around 岩手山 Mount Iwatesan belonged to an Oni named 大猛丸 Odakemaru. In the year 797, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro was sent to drive him out, but he hid in the mist of the deep mountain and lived in his castle, 鬼ケ城 / 鬼ヶ城 Onigajo. Tamuramaro waited until the mist had dispersed, came to fight with him, drove him all the way to 八幡平 Hachimantai and finally killed him.

Ootakemaru 大武丸 Otakemaru and Onigajo 鬼ケ城 castle Onigajo at mount Iwatesan is a cave where the demon 大武丸 Otakemaru lived with his disciple demons. He could command the weather and the clouds in the sky, even provoke storms and the people dreaded these demons. Tamuramaro killed most of the demons, but some fled in the direction of 閉伊郡 the Hei district. The last one to survive was an Oni with one eye, a messenger of 権現様 Gongen Sama. It was the job of this Oni to clean the mountain after humans had visited the top.

She wanted to make 葦原の国 the province of Ashihara in Hyogo a "Land of the Demons". So she came down to earth at 鈴鹿 Suzuka (Mie). Then she wanted to become the wife of Odakemaru to continued her evil life and sent him a letter. But he did not answer. Eventually she became his wife, but soon Tamuramaro had a fight with her husband and herself, Now the Devil Lady fell in love with Tamuramaro and became his wife, mending her bad ways. She later helped her human husband to drive out the demons 悪事高丸 Takamaru and 大谷丸 Otanimaru.

Aguro-Oo 阿黒王 King Aguro-O Tate-Eboshi caused a lot of damage at 鈴鹿山 Suzukayama, a mountain range in Mie prefecture. To become the wife of a man named 利成 Toshinari, she had him kill her Demon Husband Aguro-O.

Tachieboshi snatched the wife of Tamuramaro, but later got enlightenment by the Kannon Bosatsu from 清水寺 Kiyomizu Temple in Mie 三重県.

Maoomaru 魔王丸 Ma-O-Maru and the Oniyashiki 鬼屋敷 Oni Yashiki quarters The demon Ma-O-Maru lived in a place called Oni-Yashiki. After Tamuramaro had killed him and cut off his head, he washed his sword in a place now called 洗い田 Senda.

- and a legend from Miyagi about the Oni Yashiki

番二番三郎 Banji and Bansaburo At the time they were becoming disciples of Jikaku Daishi, there lived an Oni in the region. Banji shot an arrow from the top of 二口峠 Futakuchi Pass and killed the Oni.

達谷窟毘沙門堂 Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-Do Akuro-O the leader of the Emishi was living in this cavern and while he was doing much harm, Tamuramaro asked help from Bishamonten and finally subjugated him. Tamuramaro dedicated this hall after his victory over the Emishi, to appease their souls Originally there were 108 statues of Bishamon, now 33 are still there, which are shown once every 33 years. 平泉 Hiraizumi

種山高原には、かって坂上田村麻呂が陣を構えエミシと相対したという伝承がある。またその峰伝いにには、大森山があり、その頂で人首丸が討ち取られたとして、その人首丸の墓石がある。種山から大森山は、朝廷側にとって鬼の巣食う山々であった。 This memorial stone is one of the 七庚申, when the day of Koshin happens 7 times in a year, to bring bad luck. In the old scripts is a mention "庚申年には蝦夷の反乱が起こる"In the year of Koshin there will be a rebellion of the Emishi!"

Furubira occupies the eastern end of the north coast of the Shakotan Peninsula facing the Japan Sea. The town is largely built around the Furubira River, which runs from the highlands of the Shakotan Peninsula into the Japan Sea. Furubira was established as one of many Pacific herring fishing settlements in the region at the beginning of the Edo period (1603 – 1868). Manganese was once mined at the head of the Furubira River; mining ceased in the town in 1984. The mine was located at Inakuraishi. The Port of Furubira, located near Cape Maruyama, is an active fishing port. Shrimp, Alaska pollack, and saltwater clams are a mainstay of the economy. The Furubira River provides irrigation for the production of rice, potatoes, and soy beans. Beef, pork, and poultry are also raised in the town.- quote wikipedia -

The year is 1749. The place is 三好市 広島県 Miyoshi town in Hiroshima. Heitaro was a samurai of the domain. He and his friend Gonpachi tried a contest of courage, involving an encounter with various Yokai. This was a popular summer game reminding people of the . Hyakki Yagyō 百鬼夜行 "The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons" .

In May they went up to 比熊山 Higumayama and lit 100 candles. Now each one of them had to tell a Yokai ghost story and after each story, one candle was put out. After the last story was told the last candle was blown out and the two waited in the darkness for any Yokai to make their appearance. Anyway, no Yokai appeared for some time that night, so they went back home. But come July, the monsters begun to appear to haunt them . . . And this story is told in the famous

For one month, various Yokai appeared day and night, trying to frighten Heitaro, but he never lost his calm and slept well at night. For example, a huge toad appeared in his cupboard in the evening, with a red rope around its body . . . so Heitaro grabbed the rope and slept . . . The next morning, the toad showed its real appearance, just the usual big box for cloths in the cupboard.

Another evening, a woman with a long neck came out of the Tokonoma niche from his room and tried to lick him all night. But he just ignored her completely and slept well till morning.

Eventually the Yokai gave up, praised his fearlessness and - in a swoop - disappeared from his garden.

This story soon became a picture scroll for all to enjoy.稲生物怪録絵巻 Ino Mononoke Roku Emaki.

An illustration from "Hyakki Yagyo Emaki," a narrative scroll painting depicting a parade of yokai (Provided by the city government of Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture)

MIYOSHI, Hiroshima Prefecture-- An enthusiast's extensive collection of paraphernalia related to the "yokai" supernatural beings of Japanese folklore is to be housed in its own museum as part of efforts to attract more visitors here. The city government decided to construct a purpose-built museum to showcase about 3,000 yokai items amassed by Koichi Yumoto forming the main attraction. The museum is scheduled to open in 2018.

"I want to hand down to posterity Japan's original culture generated by Japanese people's imagination," Yumoto, 66, of Tokyo's Edogawa Ward, has said. He started collecting yokai-related works of art about 30 years ago, and has spent more than 100 million yen ($882,450) on his hobby to date.

Miyoshi, located in a mountainous region, has been seeking ways to revitalize itself by taking advantage of the local "mononoke" evil spirits culture.

The area is famous as the setting for "Ino Mononoke Roku," a story about a young man who battles with evil spirits from the Edo period (1603-1867).

Yumoto's collection provided a perfect opportunity, and the city teamed up with the yokai enthusiast who had been looking for a facility to display and manage his collection. Yumoto signed a deal with the city at the end of 2016 to hand over his collection for free on condition that the city would establish a museum specializing in yokai. The total project cost is estimated at 1.2 billion yen.

"I think yokai are happy about finally having their own museum," said Yumoto.

Miyoshi Mayor Kazutoshi Masuda expressed his gratitude, saying: "We greatly appreciate the donation of such precious materials. We would like to invigorate the city by utilizing the collection." - reference source : Asahi Shinbun 2017 -

Miyoshi Fudoki-no-oka History and Folklore Museum Displays on the history, folklore and archeology of the Chugoku mountain region. If you have kids who are going to Japanese school or have a high level of Japanese language skills, there are quite a few fun worksheet activities and quizzes to try. Fragments of the yokai hobgoblins which appear in the Edo-era Ino Mononoke Roku ghost story set in Miyoshi are also scattered around the museum – find them all and stamp your notebook with a special stamp. - source : ethiroshima.com/museums-attractions... -

. kure 暮れ dusk, nightfall, twilight .tasogaredoki たそがれどき, 黄昏 In former times there were no street lights and it was difficult to see the faces of people when you walked at nightfall. Still not yet the time for a lantern to find your way. So when people met, they would exchange a greeting: Taso kare wa? 誰そ、彼は (dare daroo, are wa?) "Who is this?". Taso kare ... became tasogare in the course of time, now loaded with the feeling of loneliness and melancholy.

- quote - Ōmagatoki - referring to the moment at dusk when the sky grows dark. Opposite of akatsuki (暁) dawn. It has specific meanings for the two ways of writing it: first, 逢魔時 "the time of meeting yōkai, yūrei, and dark creatures"; and second, 大禍時 "the time of great calamity".

In Illustrated One Hundred Demons from the Present and the Past, Toriyama Sekien described ōmagatoki as the time when chimimōryō, the evil spirits of the mountains and rivers, attempt to materialize in the world.

Chimimōryō, chimi mooryoo 魑魅魍魎 Chimi Moryo is a term, originated from China dating roughly 2,500 years in ancient chronicles such as the Zuo Zhuan, referring to monsters of the mountains and monsters of the rivers. It refers to various kinds of obake and things changed into yōkai. "chimi" (魑魅) refers to the monsters of the mountains, and "mōryō" (魍魎) refers to the monsters of the river, and so the word "chimimōryō" is often used to refer to all monsters of the mountains and rivers. Furthermore, the word "minori" was also used for this. For this to be used to mean a "ripening" (minoru) oni has been used in various regions since ancient times. ..... a 魑 is a mountain god that took on the shape of a tiger, and ..... a 魅 is a swamp or marsh god taking on a shape with the head of a beast, and it is surmised that from this, what the word was seen to mean expanded to encompass beasts of various attributes. - - - - - Chimi are said to be monsters that come about from strange atmosphere (miasma) in mountains and forests. Taking on an appearance with the face of a human, and the body of a beast, they would perplex humans. In the dictionary Wamyō Ruijushō from the Heian period, they were considered to be a type of oni under the Japanese name 魑魅 / "sudama", and in the Edo period encyclopedia, the Wakan Sansai Zue, they were seen to be mountain gods (Yama-no-Kami). - - - - - Mōryō were considered to be spirits from mountains and rivers, and trees and rocks. They would come forth from the life energy of mountains, water, trees, rocks, and all kinds of things in nature, and fool humans. Additionally, they are also said to eat the dead, have the appearance of a child, stand on 2 feet, have dark red skin, have red eyes, long ears, beautiful hair, and a voice that resembles that of a human. With this kind of appearance, they are thought to be oni. In the Wakan Sansai Zue, they are considered water gods (Suijin), and in the ancient Chinese book Zuo Zhuan, they are considered to be gods of swamps and marshes. - reference source : wikipedia -

There are various regions where people claim to be descendants of Oni, especially of Zenki and Goki. They live in 大分県日田 Oita, Hita, 京都の八瀬村 Kyoto, Yasemura, 奈良県 Nara Gojo and Yoshino, 中津川 Wakayama, Nakatsugawa and other places. All these regions are related to 修験道 Shugendo and Yamabushi mountain priest. The descendants keep to themselves and have many rites pertaining to their Oni ancestors.

The name ONI might have been written like this : 隠（おん） ON.

Zenki and Goki are also alive in modern manga and anime games.鬼神童子 ZENKI

Zenki is a Japanese manga series written by Kikuhide Tani and illustrated by Yoshihiro Kuroiwa. It was serealized in the Shueisha publication, Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 1996.- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

Near the temple 安生寺 Ansho-Ji there are five families, who do NOT prepare chimaki 粽 ritual rice dumplings for the Boy's festival on May 5th and hishimochi 菱餅 red and white dumplings for the Girls's festival on May 3. These families claim to be descendants of the Demons (Zenki and Goki). The Chimaki look like the tsuno 角 horns of an Oni and the Hishimochi look like oni no shita 鬼の舌 the tongue of an Oni, thus they feel it an insult against the ancestors to prepare them. During the Setsubun rituals, they never chant oni wa soto 鬼は外 but only fuku wa uchi 福は内.. Setsubun Rituals and Oni .

Families with the name 足立の安達姓 Adachi are descendants of Oni. In the deep mountain there are three 古墳 Kofun mounds related to the Oni - 黒塚 Kurozuka, 鬼塚 Onizuka and 三ツ塚 Mitsuzuka.

The plain in front of the mounds is 安達ヶ原 Adachigahara. People claiming to be descendants from Oni might be コロボックルの子孫 Korobokkuru descendants.. koropokkuru コロボックル "the little people" . Ainu mythology, Hokkaido. 北海道のアイヌ伝説

.......................................................................yamanba 山姥 "mountain hag" There lived an old woman in the village 笹楽 Sasara. One day when she was eating chimaki 粽 ritual rice dumplings, she cut her lips. Since then the villagers of Sasara never prepare Chimaki for the Boy's festival rituals.

- - - literature : 大和宇智郡の鬼筋 // 大和に鬼の子孫がいる話

- quote - Mitsuzuka Mounded Tombs - Kofun These are three square mounded tombs arranged from east to west on the south side of the Mausoleum of Empress Nakatsuhime. From east, they are called Yashimazuka Mounded Tomb, Nakayamazuka Mounded Tomb, and Suketayama Mounded Tomb, respectively. In 1978, large and small shura (wooden sleds) were discovered at the bottom of the surrounding moat between Yashimazuka Mounded Tomb and Nakayamazuka Mounded Tomb, which attracted wide attention from the public. - source :city.fujiidera.lg.jp/kanko - 大阪府藤井寺市岡1丁目1番1号 市役所6階63番窓口

. Yase Tenmangu 八瀬天満宮, Kyoto . In ancient Japan, the term Yase Doji referred to the people who lived in the Yase district of Kyoto and worked for the area's Enryaku temple. Despite their plebeian status, Yase Doji were prosperous and maintained strong connections with those in power, including emperors, aristocrats and shogun. After the Meiji Era, they were even entrusted by the government to be the imperial koshi (palanquin) bearers.

滋賀県大津市葛川坊村 Shiga, Otsu, Katsuragawa When priest 相応和尚 So-O looked for a pure place to practise austerities, he found the river Katsuragawa to be just right. He pleaded with the local Water Deity 思古淵神 Shikobuchi-shin and got the place. The deity also gave him two attendants, Joki and Joman. Their descendants are living there now for more than 1000 years, as the two families of 葛野常喜家 Katsurano Joki and 葛野常満家 Katsurano Joman. They take part in many rituals.

Once the priest 相応和尚 So-O of the temple 葛川息障明王院 Katsuragawa Sokusho Myo-O In Myo-O In in Shiga found a 霊木 divine tree in the waterfall basin and carved this statue of Fudo Myo-O out of it. 葛川息障明王院 Temple Katsuragawa Sokusho Myo-O In. 建立大師相応和尚 Konryu Daishi So-O Kasho (833 - 918) .

. Kidoomaru 鬼童丸、鬼同丸 Kidomaru . After Minamoto Raiko had killed the yokai Shuten Doji, all the girls he had kidnapped ("eaten") were set free to go home. But one had gone so out of her mind, she did not remember where she was from. She was pregnant and eventually gave birth to a baby with all teeth already there. This "Demon Child" 鬼童 Kido grew up and went to Kyoto, trying to kill the brother of Raiko. But he did not succeed and got caught himself. Kidōmaru is known as both a robber and a magician ... He is the subject of legends of its own.

- quote - Physical description: Kidōmaru seated cross-legged on the head of a giant python, his hands clasped and two wrapped pine-sprigs in his mouth, a dirk has been driven into the head of the python, around which small snakes are writhing while four tengu watch.

"Kidōmaru is known as both a robber and a magician... The instruction that he receives here from the tengu can only be described as a sort of mystical experience involving self-purgation - he accesses a side of himself that he hitherto was not fully aware of. This Kidōmaru is not derived from the usual source, the Zen Taiheiki, rather he seems to be inspired by Takizawa Bakin's yomihon, Shitennō shōtō iroku (Strange Story of the Eradication of the Wicked Four Retainers,1806). In this yomihon, Kidōmaru competes in practicing magic with Hakamadare Yasuuke. Kidōmaru conjures up a poisonous serpent, whereas Yasuuke produces an eagle.

In this print the head of the giant python is almost as arresting as the countenance of Kidōmaru and provides a second strong focal point. The aomatsuba (wrapped pine sprigs) likewise command the viewer's attention, as do other elements such as the flames and the small writhing snakes. The colours in this print are riveting in their bold juxtaposition of blue and red.

There are two types of tengu, one is winged but has a human face with a very long nose (yamabushi or 'mountain priest' tenfu), the other has a bird's head and a strong, curved beak (karasu or 'crow' tengu). Four of the latter type inhabit the bottom section of this image." Quoted from: Japanese Warrior Prints 1646-1905 / by James King and Yuriko Iwakiri, p. 269. - source : woodblockprints.org

Some old trees have a strange demonic power. The pine tree at the temple 参州長興寺 Choko-Ji is called "Pine like two dragons".

Once the tree turned into two children, who went to the head priest and asked him for 硯と紙 an inkstone and paper. When he gave it to them, they were much pleased and begun to write a poem on it. "This will prevent any fire from destroying the temple!" they told the priest and then turned back into the two stems of the tree. The paper has become the special treasure and amulet of the temple ever since. - reference source : wikipedia -

At the temple 妙國寺 Myokoku-Ji in 堺 Sakai there was a sotetsu 蘇鉄 Cycas revoluta tree. When it was re-planted to the 桃山城 Momoyama castle, it turned into an old man and caused trouble. Momoyama castle is better know as Fushimi Castle 伏見城 in Kyoto.

- quote - Have you ever felt a feeling of depression and disappear wash over you for no apparent reason. If so maybe you have been possessed by one sinister Yokai, 縊れ鬼(Kubireoni).The Legend of the Strangle Demon Legend tells of a man that drowned in a river under suspicious circumstances. So filled with hate and need for revenge his spirit transformed into a powerful Yokai named Kubireoni. The spirit now roams Japan possessing people. Those who fall under his possession are filled with a great feeling of depression and self loathing. The feelings are so strong and sudden that they are driven to suicide, usually by hanging. Hence the name Strangle Demon.

Kubireoni came into public knowledge around the Edo period thanks to a tale of a group of firefighters from a small town. They were a very close knit group as you can imagine for people in their line of work. One evening they decided to go out for drinks, but there was one in the group that had other plans. He told his colleagues that he couldn't go, but never gave a concrete reason as to why. He was fiercely adamant that he couldn't go drinking, which the group found a little strange.

The fire chief stepped in demanding the man to come drinking and forget about any prior commitments. At first he protested, but after a while he knew the chief wasn't backing down. Also with the added pressure from others in the group, he gave in and went drinking.

The evening went by with the firefighters knocking back drink after drink becoming merry. Soon the man forgot all about the plans he had. As the night was drawing to a close, the group could hear people screaming in terror just outside the Izakaya (Japanese pub). Fearing the worst they ventured outside to see what was happening. They could see a large old oak tree at the end of the street. From one of its branches a man was hanging by his neck.

The firefighters were taken aback by what they were looking at. The chief turned to the man who previously stated he had plans, asking "What plans did you have actually?" The man stood there thinking about it deeply, but his mind drew a blank. "For the life of me I can't remember now" he replied. "That's because you never had any plans. You see you were possessed by Kubireoni. If I hadn't stopped you, it would have been you hanging for the tree. Sadly it seems however that tonight Kubireoni still managed to find a victim." explained the chief. The man dropped to his knees in shock and disbelief. How easily it could have been him.

For me personally I feel there is an important message embedded in this tale. If you know someone who seems depressed and is acting out of character, it's important to keep them close and remind them that people are there to help. What do you take from this story? For this post I referenced Nihon Yokai Taizen written by Shigeru Mizuki. - source : curiousdensetsu.wordpress.com -

Once upon a time, a couple in a drinking bar killed a customer and stole his money. Later a child was born to the woman, which begun to grow teeth at three months of age and its face looked very much like the customer they had killed. Out of fear they decided to kill the child too. Soon the woman became ill and died and the husband lost all his fortunes. Other stories of this kind are known, for example in the story collection Inga monogatary 因果物語 Tales of Retribution by Suzuki Shōzō from 1661.